Gilman Scholarship aids Maluwelmeng’s research internship in Germany

The bi-annual Gilman Scholarship Program named Connie Maluwelmeng, a junior in electrical engineering and mathematics from Guam, as one of the 2014 summer finalists to receive financial aid to study abroad. Maluwelmeng will complete an internship at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, researching solar power.

By supporting undergraduate students who might resist going abroad because of financial reasons, the Gilman Scholarship aims to diversify the types of students who study and intern abroad, as well as the countries to which they travel. Maluwelmeng applied for the scholarship because the stipend for her internship only covered room and board.

“I think having an experience abroad will help me look at things from different perspectives to see how people of different cultures would view things,” she said. “It would also help me to learn how to communicate better with people from other countries, which is especially helpful for my future if I have to collaborate with teams from international companies.”

With two more years at Iowa State, she isn’t sure yet what her plans will be after graduation, but she is considering graduate school. “I am interested in research, but I don’t know if I want to continue to pursue a specialization in electrical engineering or to pursue something different.”

Maluwelmeng enjoys her time at Iowa State by volunteering at SWE (Society of Women Engineers) outreach events, presenting mathematical research at events like the Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics, and working on fun projects in her electrical and computer engineering labs.

“I appreciate all the opportunities I have had because I came to Iowa State,” said Maluwelmeng. “None of these things—including the opportunity to do research abroad—would have been available to me if I hadn’t come here.”